Aldabra Giant Tortoise Unique

Animals Unique | Aldabra Giant Tortoise Unique | Aldabra Giant Tortoise Classification and Evolution
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is a species of giant tortoise native to the Aldabra Islands in the Indian ocean. The Aldabra giant tortoise is one of the largest species of tortoise on the planet and is also one of the world's longest living animals, Aldabra Giant Tortoise with one individual reaching the grand old age of 255 years old. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is the only Indian ocean giant Tortoise species alive Multiply as others have now Become extinct with the arrival facility of Human settlers (including the Seychelles Giant Tortoise the which is now thought to be extinct ins the wild). The Aldabra Giant Tortoise Giant Tortoise and the Seychelles are so similar in both appearance and behavior That They are actually thought by some to be the same species.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Anatomy and Appearance
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise has an enormous dome-shaped shell the which acts as protective armor to the soft, vulnerable body of the Aldabra Giant Tortoise underneath. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise also has an incredibly long neck the which it uses to tear leaves from the branches higher up trees. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise male Grows to an average size of 1.1 meters long, with slightly smaller Females being at a length of 0.9 meters. The lazy, although not really that much bigger, are also known to weigh nearly 100kg more than female Their counterparts. They are slow-moving animals with thick, short legs and round, almost flat feet That help them when They are walking on the sand.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Distribution and Habitat
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is primarily found inhabiting grasslands and swamps on the islands of the Aldabra atoll (an island of coral That encircles a lagoon partially or completely), the which forms part of the Seychelles island chain in the Indian Ocean. They once shared these islands with a number of other species of giant tortoise, but many of these were hunted to extinction in the 1700s and 1800s. Aldabra Giant Tortoise Although the is usually found in areas of dense, low-lying vegetation, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is also known to wander into more sparse, rocky regions when food is in short supply. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise Often can also be found resting in the shade, or in a very shallow pool of water to cool down in the heat Themselves.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Behaviour and Lifestyle
Aldabra Giant Tortoises are found both individually and in herds, the which growing niche to gather mostly on open grasslands. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is Generally most active in the Mornings when They spend the most time browsing for food, before the temperature gets too high. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is also known to dig underground Burrows or rest assembly ins swamps to the keep cool during the constant heat of the day. Despite being slow and Cautious animals, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is said to be uninterested in the presence of people, Indicating That one of the Reasons That They were so easy for Human settlers to hunt, was simply Because these animals had no fear of them.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Reproduction and Life Cycles
Aldabra Giant Tortoises female lay up to 25 rubbery eggs Between February and May, into a dry, shallow nest on the ground making them particularly vulnerable to being eaten by introduced predators. It is thought That female Aldabra Giant Tortoises acre Able comes to Produce more than one clutch a year, the which usually hatch after-an 8 month incubation period. The Aldabra Giant Tortoises baby growing niche to all emerge during the same two week period for the which coincides with the arrival of the rainy season. They are very slow growing Reptiles, and Often do not reach sexual maturity until They are Between 20 and 30 years old. Although some individuals have been known to live for more than 250 years, most live to be Between 80 and 120 years old.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Diet and Prey
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is a herbivorous animal, spending much of it's time browsing for food in it's surrounding well-vegetated environment. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise is known to be found in places That are commonly known as "Tortoise Turf", the which is an area contains more than 20 That different grass and herb species. Aldabra Giant Tortoises also eat leaves, fruits and berries from the surrounding vegetation and are known to actually reach up on Their Hind legs to nibble on the treats slightly higher up. One of the biggest blows for the species with the introduction of domestic animals to the islands, was That They had competition for food That Was not there before. Goats acre known to graze very Quickly, Munching Their Way throughs the vast areas The current of the Tortoise 's natively habitat.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Predators and Threats
Due to it's Immense size and natural lack of Mammalian predators, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise adults were thought to have no predators in the wild (the more vulnerable and smaller young are said to have been hunted by a giant species of Crab That lives in Burrows on the atoll). However, with the Human settlers CAME introduced predators in the form of domesticated animals like Dogs and Goats, that both preyed on the Aldabra Giant Tortoise and ate it's food. Today, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is most Threatened by habitat loss from growing human settlements, with climate change Becoming an increasingly bigger threat to the species in the future.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Interesting Facts and Features
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise has now had four scientific names to date, Mainly due to the fact That there are ongoing arguments about Their similarity to other large Indian Ocean Including the Tortoise species possibly extinct Seychelles Giant Tortoise. Despite population numbers Print having dropped throughs hunting, habitat loss and the introduction of new predators, one of the Biggest threats to the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is the rising sea level, Caused by climate change. The islands That's live on Tortoise these are only a few meters above sea level and are therefore at great risk from these rising waters.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Relationship with Humans
Before the 1700s, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise had no significant predators or competition for food, with all Populations of the Various species of giant tortoise thought to have been healthy. However, the People that arrived on the islands found both the Tortoises and Their eggs, easy to catch and kill and somewhat good to eat, with mass hunting wiping out nearly all of them in less than 100 years.The Aldabra Giant Tortoise was also eaten by the domestic animals That arrived with people, with ground-dwelling Their nests being particularly vulnerable. They have also now lost much of the natural habitat due to expanding human settlements throughout the atoll.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Conservation Status and Life Today
Today, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is listed as an animal That Is Vulnerable to extinction in the wild. However, the Aldabra atoll has now been protected from human influence after having been declared a World Heritage Site, and is home to some 152 000 Aldabra Giant Tortoises, the world's largest population of the animal. Another isolated population of the Aldabra Giant Tortoise Resides on the island of Zanzibar, and other captive Populations exist ins conservation parks ins Mauritius and Rodrigues. The captive breeding Programmes on these islands acre to try and revive the species, and Populations on Them Multiply Appear to be Thriving.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Unique Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptiles
Order: Testudines
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Geochelone
Scientific Name: Geochelone gigantea
Common Name: Giant Aldabra Tortoise
Other Name (s): Giant Tortoise
Group: Reptile
Number Of Species: 1
Location: Aldabra atoll in the Indian Ocean
Habitat: Grasslands and swamps
Colour: Black, Brown, Tan
Skin Type: Scales
Size (L): 90cm - 120cm (3ft - 4ft)
Weight: 150kg - 250kg (330lbs - 550lbs)
Top Speed: 0.5kph (0.3mph)
Diet: Herbivore
Prey: Grasses, Leaves, Flowers
Predators: Giant Crab, Humans, Cats
Lifestyle: Diurnal
Group Behaviour: Herd
Life Span: 80-255 years
Age Of Sexual Maturity: 20-30 years
Incubation Period: 8 months
Average Clutch Size: 15
Name Of Young: Hatchling
Age Of Independence: 3-6 months
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Estimated Population Size: 200.000
Biggest Threat: Habitat loss
Most Distinctive Feature: Large, high-domed shell
Fun Fact: One got to be 255 years old!